Heaton Park
Encyclopedia
Heaton Park, covering an area variously reported as 600 acres (242.8 ha), 247 hectares, 640 acres (259 ha), over 640 acres (259 ha) and 650 acres (263 ha) is the biggest park in Greater Manchester
, England
and one of the biggest municipal parks
in Europe
. The park comprises the grounds of a Grade I listed
, neoclassical
18th century country house, Heaton Hall. The hall was remodelled to a design by James Wyatt
in 1772, and is now open to the public as a museum and events venue.
Heaton Park was sold to Manchester City Council
in 1902, by the Earl of Wilton
, to be kept for the enjoyment and recreation of the public and so it has remained to this day. It has one of the United Kingdom's few concrete towers, the Heaton Park BT Tower
.
The park was renovated as part of a millennium
project partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund
and Manchester City Council at a cost of over £
10 million. Some of the buildings and original vistas from the 18th century landscape design were restored. The restoration of the park was singled out for an award by the British Association of Landscape Artists from 100 entries in November 2005. It contains an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, a boating lake, an animal farm, a pitch and putt
course, a golf driving range
, woodlands, ornamental gardens, an observatory
, an adventure playground, a Papal Monument and a volunteer-run tram
way system and museum (operational every Sunday, and bank holiday
, afternoon during the summer months). The park is listed Grade II by English Heritage
and contains nine listed buildings. It has the only flat green bowling greens in Manchester, which were built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
.
Heaton Hall had been owned by the Holland family since the Middle Ages
. In 1684, when Sir John Egerton, 3rd Baronet
of Wilton married Elizabeth Holland, the hall came to the Egerton family. In 1772, Sir Thomas Egerton
, 7th Baronet (later the 1st Earl of Wilton
) commissioned the fashionable architect James Wyatt
, to design a new home for his young family. Although Wyatt had already established a reputation for himself as an innovative architect
, he was only 26 years old and Heaton Hall was his first country house commission. Wyatt's neo-classical
masterpiece was built in phases and was mostly completed by 1789.
The park was originally laid out by William Emes
in the style of Capability Brown
. It has long been used for public events such as Heaton Park races which were established by the second Earl in 1827. The races were run on a course on the site of the present day boating lake until 1839 when they moved to Aintree
near Liverpool
, now the venue for the Grand National
. During the 19th century when the railway to Bury
was being laid, it stopped short of Heaton Park, as Lord Wilton was not prepared to see his estate disfigured by a railway. As a compromise the line was run under the estate in a tunnel and a railway station
opened adjacent to the Whittaker Lane/Bury Old Road entrance in 1879 (now Heaton Park Metrolink station
). Consequently, the decision by Lord Wilton to put the hall and park up for sale was greeted with dismay, especially when it became known that the site was being eyed by a property developer. A pressure group was formed to persuade Manchester City Council
to purchase it as a museum
and municipal park. Alderman Fletcher Moss, a prominent antiquarian
was a notable influence in this movement. The park was purchased and opened to the public in 1902. Unfortunately, the council was not prepared to purchase the contents of the hall and so the furniture and paintings were sold by auction. The hall was considered by the council to be of little architectural or historical significance, and the saloon
was initially used as a tea-room. The city council used the hall as a branch art gallery for many years, but eventually the architectural and historical importance of the building was realised. A major restoration programme brought the state rooms back to their original appearance, and period furniture was obtained to furnish them. Some of the original pieces were recovered from store or purchased at sales. Unfortunately, the exterior of the hall is still in a bad state of repair with crumbling stucco
, peeling paintwork and boarded-up windows. It is hoped that this will eventually be rectified with further grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Manchester Pals
used the park as a training depot during the First World War, and several hutted camps were built. The park was also used as the site of a Royal Air Force
depot in the Second World War.
Manchester Council later used part of the north side of the park for the construction of a large gravity feed reservoir
, employing a contractor's railway from Whitefield railway station
. This work was interrupted by the First World War, and only completed in the 1920s. A municipal golf course
was also laid out, and a large boating lake excavated. The former facade of the first Manchester Town Hall on King Street was re-erected as a backdrop to the lake.
During the Second World War, two "prefab
" housing estates and an infants school were built in the south of the park, the houses providing much-needed homes until they were demolished in the 1960s. The school building remains to this day and is used as a training centre.
The hall, has been a Grade I Listed Building since 1952 and has been called "the finest house of its period in Lancashire
". It is built of sandstone
and stucco
ed brick, in a traditional Palladian design with the entrance on the north side and the facade
on the south. The landscaping
was designed to make the most of the uninterrupted views of the rolling hills across to the Pennines
. An important feature of this was the ha-ha, used to keep the grazing
animals, so important to the landscaping, away from the formal lawns, with a barrier that was all-but invisible from the house.
The state rooms include the Library, the Music Room, Dining Room, and upstairs, a rather rare Etruscan Room
. The rooms of the hall were exquisitely finished by the finest artists and craftsmen of the period, with most of the furnishings and mahogany
doors being made by Gillow's
of Lancashire
. Most of the decorative paintings, the Pompeiian Cupola
Room and the case for the 18th century chamber organ built by Samuel Green in 1790, were the work of Italian artist, Biagio Rebecca
. The organ fills one wall of the Music Room. The ornate plasterwork
was created by the firm of Joseph Rose II of York
.
There are 13 rooms open to the public in the central core and east wing. Manchester City Galleries restored the decorative detail in the 1980s and early 1990s. The ground floor rooms on the north east front have been converted to an expansive space that houses temporary exhibitions. The first floor rooms include the Cupola
which was originally Lady Egerton's dressing-room. The room was styled in the 1770s "Pompeiian" style with mirrored walls and a domed ceiling and there are only three such rooms left in Britain
.
The library was remodelled by Lewis Wyatt
in the 1820s. A painting depicting one of the horseracing meetings held in the park can be seen here. The library is now licensed for civil partnership and wedding ceremonies. Heaton Hall's collections are managed by Manchester Galleries. Photography is not permitted in the hall but a collection of photographs of the hall's interior can be seen on the Manchester Art Gallery webpage.
Designed by James Wyatt
in 1800 for the First Earl, the ornamental temple
is a simple, small rotunda
of Tuscan columns
with a domed roof and lantern
. This Grade II listed building stands on the highest point of the City of Manchester giving views across the golf course
, which was originally the deer park. It has its own fireplace and is thought to have been used as an observatory
by the Earl who is known to have owned a telescope
bought from Dollond's of London
. The cost of the telescope was £18.5s.0d (£18.25) - the same amount earned in a year by the Earl's under-butler
. The temple has recently been enclosed by a stone balustrade and gravelled path and is used as a summer studio for artists, and for astronomy sessions.
The Dower House was a plain brick building that was transformed with a decorative columned facade
in 1803. The ha-ha in front of the house stopped the cattle from grazing on the formal lawns, making a barrier which can't be seen from the house. In 2004 the house became the home of the Manchester and District Beekeepers Association and is furnished with an observation hive
, equipment and displays with an apiary
in the garden behind the house.
This pepperpot building located at the east entrance to the park, now on Middleton Road, was designed by Lewis Wyatt
for the 1st Earl of Wilton in 1806. It was built in an unusual octagonal shape as a cottage to be viewed from the house in a romantic, rural setting, as well as being a home for the lodge keeper. The name comes from a blacksmith
's forge
which was located nearby on Middleton Road. The lodge was fully restored with a grant from the Lottery Heritage fund in the late 1990s and is now rented out to the public as short stay accommodation.
Commissioned in 1807 by Sir Thomas Egerton, Grand Lodge was designed by Lewis Wyatt
as an impressive main entrance to the park from the south. The lodge is built of ashlar
sandstone
as a large triumphal arch
and originally led onto one of the longest carriage drives to the house. It has two floors of accommodation, cellars under the west wing and an attic over the arch. The construction of the lodge completed the enclosure of the park by a 10 feet (3 m) high boundary wall. It was refurbished as part of the millennium project and is now rented out to the public as short stay accommodation. There is a memorial plaque here dedicated to the memory of the Manchester Pals
who trained in the park in 1914.
These ornamental
gardens were probably laid out in the early nineteenth century as a peaceful retreat for the family. The gardens have recently been returned to their original design with pools, summerhouses and plants appropriate to the period. A tunnel leads from the flowergarden to The Dell
and carries a causeway at high level across the gardens to allow the cattle, from the fields to the south of the garden, to be taken to the farm for milking without entering the gardens. The tunnel entrance is faced with large stones to give it the appearance of a natural cave.
The Orangery was added to the house by the 2nd Earl of Wilton around 1823. It appears to have been designed by Lewis Wyatt
as it is similar to his orangeries
at Tatton Park
and Belton House
. He also added the impressive chimney stacks at the same time. Heaton's Orangery has a direct access from the east wing of the house and as the wife of the 2nd Earl, Lady Mary Stanley was a keen botanist it may well have been added for her. It was designed with a domed, glazed roof, fronted by a formal garden with two large copies of the Borghese Vase
. The ornate glass roof was removed, to be replaced with a flat roof after Manchester City Council purchased the park in 1902. The Orangery is now a function and conference venue, run by Manchester City Council
's Hospitality and Trading Service.
The 12 acres (4.9 ha) boating lake was constructed between 1908 and 1912 by previously unemployed men using only shovels and hand-pulled trucks. The lake, which is overlooked by the Lakeside Cafe, has three islands and is home to large numbers of ornamental birds and wildfowl
including geese
, duck
s, swan
s and fantail dove
s. There are rowing boats for hire during the summer months. The lake is noted for its excellent carp fishing and is also stocked with roach, rudd
, bream, tench
and chub
. Fishing rights to all the waters in the park are held by the King William IV Angling Society.
supplying fruit and vegetables for the estate. The walls provide a warm microclimate
for crop cultivation and support for climbing plants. The Horticultural Centre staff now grow plants for the city's displays and for sale to the public. There are also demonstration gardens open to the public during the summer and a sensory garden
. "The Friends of Heaton Park", a group formed in 1992 to promote an interest in the care of the park and to act as a communication link between the park users and the Heaton Park management team, are based at the centre.
The farm centre was originally built as a stable block for Sir Thomas Egerton. It was designed by Samuel Wyatt
and built between 1777 and 1789. It now houses the Stables cafe and is also the administrative centre for the park. The Animal Centre is housed behind the stables in the area that was Home Farm, on the site of the nineteenth century glasshouse
range where exotic foods and flowers were grown for the family. The Animal Centre was built in 2003–4 to replace the old Pet's Corner and houses goats, cattle
, pigs
, donkeys, hebridean sheep, alpacas, Kune Kune pigs
and small pets.
Shortly after the Heaton Park was bought by Manchester Corporation the tram
way was extended into the park and the first tram arrived on 31 May 1903, bringing visitors from Manchester. By 1934 buses were taking over from trams and the tramway was disconnected from the main system and covered in tarmac for use by buses.
The Manchester Transport Museum Society (MTMS) was born in 1961 with the aim of creating a museum
in which to make the society's various exhibits available to the public. It was decided that Heaton Park would be a suitable site for such a museum and proposals were made to the Parks Department of Manchester City Council
.
The initial idea, to construct a new tramway from Grand Lodge to Heaton Hall, was considered too expensive, as it would require remedial works to carry it across the railway tunnel. Therefore a new scheme was proposed to open up the old Manchester Corporation Tramways spur from Middleton Road to the old tram shelter
some 300 yards (270 m) inside the park. The original track was buried under a layer of tarmac
which had to be cleared and the old tram shelter had to be restored to form the centre of the society's operations.
The work was completed in 1979 and the Heaton Park Tramway was officially opened on the 28 March 1980.The tramway currently has an operating fleet of 3 electric trams and one horse tram. One of these, tramcar, No 765, was to be seen in the museum
at Crich
in Derbyshire, before moving to Heaton Park.
The operation based upon the original siding
has since been extended (by the use of track salvaged from elsewhere), largely on a private right of way to a new terminus
short of the boating lake. Plans exist for a further extension, perhaps as far as the hall. A major restoration of the depot
and museum complex has recently (2007) been completed. A newly restored horse tram has been added to the collection.
is a picturesque, championship standard golf course, built on the former deer park to the south of the hall with spectacular views across to the Pennines
. Designed by five times Open Champion John Henry Taylor
, it was opened to the public in 1912 and has been the venue of many prestigious events, both professional and amateur. The golf centre, which has its own private driving range
used for teaching purposes, is located at the Smithy Lodge, Middleton Road entrance to Heaton Park. The course has an undulating, championship length layout within which three picturesque lakes play a prominent part. The 11th is played across water to a plateau green and was rated by Open Champion Henry Cotton as "the toughest par-3 in England". The course was voted the best municipal golf course in England in 2005. There is also a pitch and putt
course.
in Manchester
. The concert was attended by one William Grimshaw, a gramophone
salesman from Prestwich
and a few days later, he took his gramophone to Heaton Park and played recordings of the songs performed by Caruso to an assembled crowd of 40,000 people who, according to the Prestwich and Heaton Park Guardian, " ... remained as if spellbound from the moment of arrival to the close of the programme, which, it is hardly necessary to say, was intensely enjoyed." Caruso later wrote to Mr. Grimshaw to thank him for the way his voice had been reproduced, sending him a signed cartoon
of himself. Grimshaw was the first person in England to give gramophone concerts in the open, an idea which soon spread across the country. The concerts were carried on for several seasons and as they grew in popularity, Grimshaw became known across Lancashire
as "the gramophone King"
Since the 1980s a number of open air pop concert
s have been held in the park, headlined by popular bands of the day such as Travis
and Supergrass
.
On the 31 May 1982 Pope John Paul II
celebrated Mass
in the park for over 100,000 people and ordained 12 new priests. This event is commemorated by the papal monument in the south-west of the park
In recent years the park has hosted some open-air theatre productions. In 2005 there was a performance of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. In the same year there was a sell out production of Dracula
by Feelgood Theatre Productions as well as a Stella Artois
Screening of Pulp Fiction
with a film inspired set from the fun lovin' criminals.
In 2006 Feelgood returned with a performance of Arthur
- King of the Britons
. Feelgood also runs a series of acting and writing workshops in the park.
The park has been the venue for the BBC
's "Proms in the Park" on a number of occasions.
There are often charity run events such as the Race for Life
and seasonal fairs are located near the Papal Monument.
There is a large bonfire
and firework display held on the 5th of November (Guy Fawkes Night
) each year.
The world renowned Shakesperare's Globe Theatre perform open-air theatre annually with ground breaking performances of Shakespeare's greatest works in 2008, 2009 and A Midsummer Nights Dream in June 2010.
Manchester
band Oasis
performed to a total audience of 210,000 over three nights, these being June 4, 6 and 7th, 2009.
A 5 km run against the clock is organised by the group Parkrun
most Saturday mornings.
by Manchester City Council Planning Committee.
pitches, one seven-a-side football pitch, six tennis courts and a climbing tower. They will be served by a detached building with changing rooms, a cafe and a bar.
Floodlighting was originally proposed to be 8 m above the pitches, though the amendment to the pitch levels leaves the lighting 7.2 m above the playing surface. Light levels surrounding the site are to be between 5 and 10 lux
at 10 m from the boundary.
The pitches will be raised 0.8 m above the current ground level, with each pitch surrounded by rebound boards. Two sides of the site will be bordered by 2.4 m high acoustic fence boards and it will be surrounded by a 5 m high net. There will also be a 2 m high security fence surrounding the site and also from the park boundary wall, along the north side of the development and then turning north to the reservoir. The total area of the site will be approximately 8 acres (3.2 ha). With the facilities open from 10am until 11pm daily, community groups would be able to use the facilities for free at off-peak times, although off-peak has not yet been defined. Heaton Park was chosen as the site of the development in response to the current level of sports facility provision in North Manchester, no other location was considered. In the Demonstration of Very Special Circumstances submitted as part of the planning application, the JJB Soccer Centre near the Trafford Centre is identified as the only similar facility within a 20 minute drive.
The St Margarets corner of Heaton Park is home to a number of bats, the Bat Survey conducted for the Goals Soccer Centre planning application found Pipistrelle and Noctule bats but states that is merely a snapshot of two nights in the park and there may be other species present. According to the Bat Survey, which looked at trees scheduled for felling for evidence of roosting, bats may be disturbed by light levels as low as 0.06 lux. The application states elsewhere that light levels 10 m from the boundary, a distance that includes the woodland the bats roost in, will be between 5 and 10 lux.
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and one of the biggest municipal parks
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The park comprises the grounds of a Grade I listed
Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester
-See also:*Architecture of Manchester*Conservation in the United Kingdom*Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester*List of tallest buildings in Manchester*Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester-Bibliography:...
, neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
18th century country house, Heaton Hall. The hall was remodelled to a design by James Wyatt
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
in 1772, and is now open to the public as a museum and events venue.
Heaton Park was sold to Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
in 1902, by the Earl of Wilton
Earl of Wilton
Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County of Hereford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for Thomas Egerton, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton, along with the subsidiary title of Viscount Grey de Wilton, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom...
, to be kept for the enjoyment and recreation of the public and so it has remained to this day. It has one of the United Kingdom's few concrete towers, the Heaton Park BT Tower
Heaton Park BT Tower
Heaton Park BT Tower is a telecommunication tower built of reinforced concrete close to the banks of Heaton Park Reservoir, at Heaton Park, Manchester, England...
.
The park was renovated as part of a millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
project partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
and Manchester City Council at a cost of over £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
10 million. Some of the buildings and original vistas from the 18th century landscape design were restored. The restoration of the park was singled out for an award by the British Association of Landscape Artists from 100 entries in November 2005. It contains an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, a boating lake, an animal farm, a pitch and putt
Pitch and putt
Pitch and putt is an amateur sport, similar to golf. The maximum hole length for international competitions is with a maximum total course length of . Players may only use three clubs; one of which must be a putter...
course, a golf driving range
Driving range
A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially...
, woodlands, ornamental gardens, an observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
, an adventure playground, a Papal Monument and a volunteer-run tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way system and museum (operational every Sunday, and bank holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
, afternoon during the summer months). The park is listed Grade II by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and contains nine listed buildings. It has the only flat green bowling greens in Manchester, which were built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
.
History
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. In 1684, when Sir John Egerton, 3rd Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
of Wilton married Elizabeth Holland, the hall came to the Egerton family. In 1772, Sir Thomas Egerton
Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton
Thomas Grey Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton , known as Sir Thomas Grey Egerton, 7th Baronet from 1756 to 1784, was a British peer....
, 7th Baronet (later the 1st Earl of Wilton
Earl of Wilton
Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County of Hereford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for Thomas Egerton, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton, along with the subsidiary title of Viscount Grey de Wilton, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom...
) commissioned the fashionable architect James Wyatt
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
, to design a new home for his young family. Although Wyatt had already established a reputation for himself as an innovative architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, he was only 26 years old and Heaton Hall was his first country house commission. Wyatt's neo-classical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
masterpiece was built in phases and was mostly completed by 1789.
The park was originally laid out by William Emes
William Emes
-Biography:Details of his early life are not known but in 1756 he was appointed head gardener to Sir Nathaniel Curzon at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. He left this post in 1760 when Robert Adam was given responsibility for the entire management of the grounds. During his time at Kedleston he had...
in the style of Capability Brown
Capability Brown
Lancelot Brown , more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape architect. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure...
. It has long been used for public events such as Heaton Park races which were established by the second Earl in 1827. The races were run on a course on the site of the present day boating lake until 1839 when they moved to Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, now the venue for the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
. During the 19th century when the railway to Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
was being laid, it stopped short of Heaton Park, as Lord Wilton was not prepared to see his estate disfigured by a railway. As a compromise the line was run under the estate in a tunnel and a railway station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
opened adjacent to the Whittaker Lane/Bury Old Road entrance in 1879 (now Heaton Park Metrolink station
Heaton Park Metrolink station
Heaton Park Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink station on the former Manchester Victoria to Bury railway line.The station forms part of Ticketing Zone B. The station is located at the corner of Whittaker Lane and Bury Old Road...
). Consequently, the decision by Lord Wilton to put the hall and park up for sale was greeted with dismay, especially when it became known that the site was being eyed by a property developer. A pressure group was formed to persuade Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
to purchase it as a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and municipal park. Alderman Fletcher Moss, a prominent antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
was a notable influence in this movement. The park was purchased and opened to the public in 1902. Unfortunately, the council was not prepared to purchase the contents of the hall and so the furniture and paintings were sold by auction. The hall was considered by the council to be of little architectural or historical significance, and the saloon
State room
A state room in a large European mansion is usually one of a suite of very grand rooms which were designed to impress. The term was most widely used in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were the most lavishly decorated in the house and contained the finest works of art...
was initially used as a tea-room. The city council used the hall as a branch art gallery for many years, but eventually the architectural and historical importance of the building was realised. A major restoration programme brought the state rooms back to their original appearance, and period furniture was obtained to furnish them. Some of the original pieces were recovered from store or purchased at sales. Unfortunately, the exterior of the hall is still in a bad state of repair with crumbling stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
, peeling paintwork and boarded-up windows. It is hoped that this will eventually be rectified with further grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Manchester Pals
Manchester Pals
The Manchester Pals were part of Kitchener's New Army. They were formed into seven battalions in The Manchester Regiment.*1st Manchester Pals *2nd Manchester Pals...
used the park as a training depot during the First World War, and several hutted camps were built. The park was also used as the site of a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
depot in the Second World War.
Manchester Council later used part of the north side of the park for the construction of a large gravity feed reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
, employing a contractor's railway from Whitefield railway station
Whitefield Metrolink station
Whitefield Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink tram station in Whitefield, Greater Manchester on the former Manchester Victoria to Bury railway line....
. This work was interrupted by the First World War, and only completed in the 1920s. A municipal golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
was also laid out, and a large boating lake excavated. The former facade of the first Manchester Town Hall on King Street was re-erected as a backdrop to the lake.
During the Second World War, two "prefab
Prefabricated buildings
Prefabricated building is a type of building that consists of several factory-built components or units that are assembled on-site to complete the unit.- Prefabricated Housing :"Prefabricated" may refer to buildings built in components Prefabricated building is a type of building that consists of...
" housing estates and an infants school were built in the south of the park, the houses providing much-needed homes until they were demolished in the 1960s. The school building remains to this day and is used as a training centre.
Heaton Hall
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
". It is built of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed brick, in a traditional Palladian design with the entrance on the north side and the facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
on the south. The landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
was designed to make the most of the uninterrupted views of the rolling hills across to the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. An important feature of this was the ha-ha, used to keep the grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
animals, so important to the landscaping, away from the formal lawns, with a barrier that was all-but invisible from the house.
The state rooms include the Library, the Music Room, Dining Room, and upstairs, a rather rare Etruscan Room
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
. The rooms of the hall were exquisitely finished by the finest artists and craftsmen of the period, with most of the furnishings and mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
doors being made by Gillow's
Robert Gillow
Robert Gillow was an English furniture manufacturer.Born in Singleton, Lancashire he served an apprenticeship as a joiner and cabinet maker. He joined with a family of traders called Sattersthwaite and sailed with them to the West Indies as a ships carpenter. In Jamaica he became interested in...
of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Most of the decorative paintings, the Pompeiian Cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
Room and the case for the 18th century chamber organ built by Samuel Green in 1790, were the work of Italian artist, Biagio Rebecca
Biagio Rebecca
Biagio Rebecca was an Italian painter, active mainly as a fresco decorator in England. Born in Rome, his apprenticeship is unknown. In England, he was known for neoclassical scenes from mythology, often collaborating with Robert Adam for example at Harewood House and at Kedleston Hall. He also...
. The organ fills one wall of the Music Room. The ornate plasterwork
Plasterwork
Plasterwork refers to construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called pargeting...
was created by the firm of Joseph Rose II of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
There are 13 rooms open to the public in the central core and east wing. Manchester City Galleries restored the decorative detail in the 1980s and early 1990s. The ground floor rooms on the north east front have been converted to an expansive space that houses temporary exhibitions. The first floor rooms include the Cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
which was originally Lady Egerton's dressing-room. The room was styled in the 1770s "Pompeiian" style with mirrored walls and a domed ceiling and there are only three such rooms left in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The library was remodelled by Lewis Wyatt
Lewis Wyatt
Lewis William Wyatt was a British architect, a nephew of both Samuel and James Wyatt of the Wyatt family of architects, who articled with each of his uncles and began practice on his own about 1805....
in the 1820s. A painting depicting one of the horseracing meetings held in the park can be seen here. The library is now licensed for civil partnership and wedding ceremonies. Heaton Hall's collections are managed by Manchester Galleries. Photography is not permitted in the hall but a collection of photographs of the hall's interior can be seen on the Manchester Art Gallery webpage.
Temple
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
in 1800 for the First Earl, the ornamental temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
is a simple, small rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
of Tuscan columns
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
with a domed roof and lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
. This Grade II listed building stands on the highest point of the City of Manchester giving views across the golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, which was originally the deer park. It has its own fireplace and is thought to have been used as an observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
by the Earl who is known to have owned a telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
bought from Dollond's of London
Dollond & Aitchison
Dollond & Aitchison are one of the oldest opticians in the United Kingdom, having been established in 1750.- History :On 21 April, 1750, Peter Dollond opened a small optical business in Vine Street, near Hatton Garden in London. He was joined by his father John Dollond in 1752. The Dollonds became...
. The cost of the telescope was £18.5s.0d (£18.25) - the same amount earned in a year by the Earl's under-butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
. The temple has recently been enclosed by a stone balustrade and gravelled path and is used as a summer studio for artists, and for astronomy sessions.
Dower House
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
in 1803. The ha-ha in front of the house stopped the cattle from grazing on the formal lawns, making a barrier which can't be seen from the house. In 2004 the house became the home of the Manchester and District Beekeepers Association and is furnished with an observation hive
Beehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
, equipment and displays with an apiary
Apiary
An apiary is a place where beehives of honey bees are kept. Traditionally beekeepers paid land rent in honey for the use of small parcels. Some farmers will provide free apiary sites, because they need pollination, and farmers who need many hives often pay for them to be moved to the crops when...
in the garden behind the house.
Smithy Lodge
Lewis Wyatt
Lewis William Wyatt was a British architect, a nephew of both Samuel and James Wyatt of the Wyatt family of architects, who articled with each of his uncles and began practice on his own about 1805....
for the 1st Earl of Wilton in 1806. It was built in an unusual octagonal shape as a cottage to be viewed from the house in a romantic, rural setting, as well as being a home for the lodge keeper. The name comes from a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
's forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
which was located nearby on Middleton Road. The lodge was fully restored with a grant from the Lottery Heritage fund in the late 1990s and is now rented out to the public as short stay accommodation.
Grand Lodge
Lewis Wyatt
Lewis William Wyatt was a British architect, a nephew of both Samuel and James Wyatt of the Wyatt family of architects, who articled with each of his uncles and began practice on his own about 1805....
as an impressive main entrance to the park from the south. The lodge is built of ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
as a large triumphal arch
Triumphal arch
A triumphal arch is a monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crowned with a flat entablature or attic on which a statue might be...
and originally led onto one of the longest carriage drives to the house. It has two floors of accommodation, cellars under the west wing and an attic over the arch. The construction of the lodge completed the enclosure of the park by a 10 feet (3 m) high boundary wall. It was refurbished as part of the millennium project and is now rented out to the public as short stay accommodation. There is a memorial plaque here dedicated to the memory of the Manchester Pals
Manchester Pals
The Manchester Pals were part of Kitchener's New Army. They were formed into seven battalions in The Manchester Regiment.*1st Manchester Pals *2nd Manchester Pals...
who trained in the park in 1914.
Western Pleasure Grounds
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
gardens were probably laid out in the early nineteenth century as a peaceful retreat for the family. The gardens have recently been returned to their original design with pools, summerhouses and plants appropriate to the period. A tunnel leads from the flowergarden to The Dell
Dell (landform)
In physical geography, a dell is a small wooded valley. Like "dale", the word "dell" is derived from the Old English word dæl.-See also:* Cirque* Combe * Coulee* Dells of the Wisconsin River...
and carries a causeway at high level across the gardens to allow the cattle, from the fields to the south of the garden, to be taken to the farm for milking without entering the gardens. The tunnel entrance is faced with large stones to give it the appearance of a natural cave.
Orangery
Lewis Wyatt
Lewis William Wyatt was a British architect, a nephew of both Samuel and James Wyatt of the Wyatt family of architects, who articled with each of his uncles and began practice on his own about 1805....
as it is similar to his orangeries
Orangery
An orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory...
at Tatton Park
Tatton Park
Tatton Park is a historic estate in Cheshire, England, to the north of the town of Knutsford. It contains a mansion, Tatton Hall, a manor house dating from medieval times, Tatton Old Hall, gardens, a farm and a deer park of . It is a popular visitor attraction and hosts over 100 events annually...
and Belton House
Belton House
Belton House is a Grade I listed country house in Belton near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. The mansion is surrounded by formal gardens and a series of avenues leading to follies within a larger wooded park...
. He also added the impressive chimney stacks at the same time. Heaton's Orangery has a direct access from the east wing of the house and as the wife of the 2nd Earl, Lady Mary Stanley was a keen botanist it may well have been added for her. It was designed with a domed, glazed roof, fronted by a formal garden with two large copies of the Borghese Vase
Borghese Vase
The Borghese Vase is a monumental bell-shaped krater sculpted in Athens from Pentelic marble in the second half of the 1st century BC as a garden ornament for the Roman market; it is now in the Louvre Museum.-Iconography:...
. The ornate glass roof was removed, to be replaced with a flat roof after Manchester City Council purchased the park in 1902. The Orangery is now a function and conference venue, run by Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
's Hospitality and Trading Service.
Boating Lake
Anatidae
Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups...
including geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s and fantail dove
English Fantail
The English Fantail is a highly developed breed of fancy pigeon. The Fantail, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon . The Fantail is said to have originated in India, but there are early references to it in Spain and China....
s. There are rowing boats for hire during the summer months. The lake is noted for its excellent carp fishing and is also stocked with roach, rudd
Rudd
The common rudd Scardinius erythropthalmus is a bentho-pelagic freshwater fish, widely spread in Europe and middle Asia, around the basins of the North, Baltic, Black, Caspian and Aral seas.-Artificially introduced:...
, bream, tench
Tench
The tench or doctor fish is a freshwater and brackish water fish of the cyprinid family found throughout Eurasia from Western Europe including the British Isles east into Asia as far as the Ob and Yenisei Rivers. It is also found in Lake Baikal...
and chub
European chub
The European chub , sometimes called the round chub, fat chub, chevin, pollard or simply "the" chub, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae...
. Fishing rights to all the waters in the park are held by the King William IV Angling Society.
Walled Garden and Horticultural Centre
The 18th-century walled Garden was the Earl of Wilton's kitchen gardenKitchen garden
The traditional kitchen garden, also known as a potager, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden - the ornamental plants and lawn areas...
supplying fruit and vegetables for the estate. The walls provide a warm microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
for crop cultivation and support for climbing plants. The Horticultural Centre staff now grow plants for the city's displays and for sale to the public. There are also demonstration gardens open to the public during the summer and a sensory garden
Sensory garden
A sensory garden is a garden or other plot specifically created to be accessible and enjoyable to visitors, both disabled and non-disabled. The purpose of such a provision is to provide individual and combined sensory opportunities for the user such that they may not normally experience.A sensory...
. "The Friends of Heaton Park", a group formed in 1992 to promote an interest in the care of the park and to act as a communication link between the park users and the Heaton Park management team, are based at the centre.
Farm Centre, Stables Cafe and Animal Centre
Samuel Wyatt
Samuel Wyatt was an English architect and engineer. A member of the Wyatt family, which included several notable 18th and 19th century English architects, his work was primarily in a neoclassical style.-Career:...
and built between 1777 and 1789. It now houses the Stables cafe and is also the administrative centre for the park. The Animal Centre is housed behind the stables in the area that was Home Farm, on the site of the nineteenth century glasshouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
range where exotic foods and flowers were grown for the family. The Animal Centre was built in 2003–4 to replace the old Pet's Corner and houses goats, cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
, donkeys, hebridean sheep, alpacas, Kune Kune pigs
Kunekune
The kunekune is a small breed of domestic pig from New Zealand. Kunekune are hairy, and have a dumpy build and can have wattles hanging from their lower jaw. Colour ranges include black and white, ginger, cream, gold-tip, black, brown and tri-coloured...
and small pets.
Hazlitt Wood Pond
The Hazlitt Wood Pond, also known as "The Golly Pond" is located in Hazlitt Wood to the far north of the park. This area of the park can only be reached on foot and hence remains quiet and secluded.Heaton Park Tramway
- (The main article for Heaton Park TramwayHeaton Park TramwayThe Heaton Park Tramway is a heritage tramway running old trams as a visitor attaction in Heaton Park, Manchester.The tramway was briefly closed after thieves stole overhead cables on 17 October 2011, engineers worked flat out to get the tramway fully operational again, within a week.- History...
)
Shortly after the Heaton Park was bought by Manchester Corporation the tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way was extended into the park and the first tram arrived on 31 May 1903, bringing visitors from Manchester. By 1934 buses were taking over from trams and the tramway was disconnected from the main system and covered in tarmac for use by buses.
The Manchester Transport Museum Society (MTMS) was born in 1961 with the aim of creating a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in which to make the society's various exhibits available to the public. It was decided that Heaton Park would be a suitable site for such a museum and proposals were made to the Parks Department of Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
.
The initial idea, to construct a new tramway from Grand Lodge to Heaton Hall, was considered too expensive, as it would require remedial works to carry it across the railway tunnel. Therefore a new scheme was proposed to open up the old Manchester Corporation Tramways spur from Middleton Road to the old tram shelter
Tram stop
A tram stop is a place designated for a tram to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, but because trams operate on rails, they often include railway platforms, especially if stepless entries are provided for accessibility...
some 300 yards (270 m) inside the park. The original track was buried under a layer of tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
which had to be cleared and the old tram shelter had to be restored to form the centre of the society's operations.
The work was completed in 1979 and the Heaton Park Tramway was officially opened on the 28 March 1980.The tramway currently has an operating fleet of 3 electric trams and one horse tram. One of these, tramcar, No 765, was to be seen in the museum
National Tramway Museum
The National Tramway Museum, at Crich, in Derbyshire, England, is situated within Crich Tramway Village, a period village containing a pub, cafe, old-style sweetshop, including the tram depots. The village is also home to the Eagle Press, a small museum dedicated to Letterpress Printing including...
at Crich
Crich
Crich is a village in Derbyshire in England. It has the National Tramway Museum inside the Crich Tramway Village, and at the summit of Crich Hill above, a Memorial Tower for those of the Sherwood Foresters regiment who died in battle, particularly in World War I.Built in 1923 on the site of an...
in Derbyshire, before moving to Heaton Park.
The operation based upon the original siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
has since been extended (by the use of track salvaged from elsewhere), largely on a private right of way to a new terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
short of the boating lake. Plans exist for a further extension, perhaps as far as the hall. A major restoration of the depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
and museum complex has recently (2007) been completed. A newly restored horse tram has been added to the collection.
Heaton Park Golf Course
The municipal golf courseGolf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
is a picturesque, championship standard golf course, built on the former deer park to the south of the hall with spectacular views across to the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. Designed by five times Open Champion John Henry Taylor
John Henry Taylor
John Henry "J.H." Taylor was an English professional golfer and one of the pioneers of the modern game of golf. He was also a significant golf course architect....
, it was opened to the public in 1912 and has been the venue of many prestigious events, both professional and amateur. The golf centre, which has its own private driving range
Driving range
A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially...
used for teaching purposes, is located at the Smithy Lodge, Middleton Road entrance to Heaton Park. The course has an undulating, championship length layout within which three picturesque lakes play a prominent part. The 11th is played across water to a plateau green and was rated by Open Champion Henry Cotton as "the toughest par-3 in England". The course was voted the best municipal golf course in England in 2005. There is also a pitch and putt
Pitch and putt
Pitch and putt is an amateur sport, similar to golf. The maximum hole length for international competitions is with a maximum total course length of . Players may only use three clubs; one of which must be a putter...
course.
Activity in the park
In 1909, the great Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso, performed at the Free Trade HallFree Trade Hall
The Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, was a public hall constructed in 1853–6 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre and is now a hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The architect was Edward Walters The hall subsequently was...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The concert was attended by one William Grimshaw, a gramophone
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
salesman from Prestwich
Prestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
and a few days later, he took his gramophone to Heaton Park and played recordings of the songs performed by Caruso to an assembled crowd of 40,000 people who, according to the Prestwich and Heaton Park Guardian, " ... remained as if spellbound from the moment of arrival to the close of the programme, which, it is hardly necessary to say, was intensely enjoyed." Caruso later wrote to Mr. Grimshaw to thank him for the way his voice had been reproduced, sending him a signed cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
of himself. Grimshaw was the first person in England to give gramophone concerts in the open, an idea which soon spread across the country. The concerts were carried on for several seasons and as they grew in popularity, Grimshaw became known across Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
as "the gramophone King"
Since the 1980s a number of open air pop concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s have been held in the park, headlined by popular bands of the day such as Travis
Travis (band)
Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
and Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
.
On the 31 May 1982 Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
celebrated Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in the park for over 100,000 people and ordained 12 new priests. This event is commemorated by the papal monument in the south-west of the park
In recent years the park has hosted some open-air theatre productions. In 2005 there was a performance of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. In the same year there was a sell out production of Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
by Feelgood Theatre Productions as well as a Stella Artois
Stella Artois
Stella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...
Screening of Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction (film)
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who co-wrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
with a film inspired set from the fun lovin' criminals.
In 2006 Feelgood returned with a performance of Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
- King of the Britons
Brython
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
. Feelgood also runs a series of acting and writing workshops in the park.
The park has been the venue for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's "Proms in the Park" on a number of occasions.
There are often charity run events such as the Race for Life
Race for Life
Race for Life is a series of fundraising events organised by the British charity, Cancer Research UK. They involve running, jogging or walking a 5-kilometre course and raising sponsorship for doing so. The money raised is donated to the charity to fund cancer research and campaigns...
and seasonal fairs are located near the Papal Monument.
There is a large bonfire
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
and firework display held on the 5th of November (Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
) each year.
The world renowned Shakesperare's Globe Theatre perform open-air theatre annually with ground breaking performances of Shakespeare's greatest works in 2008, 2009 and A Midsummer Nights Dream in June 2010.
Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
band Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
performed to a total audience of 210,000 over three nights, these being June 4, 6 and 7th, 2009.
A 5 km run against the clock is organised by the group Parkrun
Parkrun
parkrun is the name given to a collection of 5 km running events that take place every week in several different countries. They are free to take part in and require runners to register on-line for a unique athlete number and to print their own identification barcode before taking part.parkrun...
most Saturday mornings.
Goals Soccer Centre
A proposed sports development to be built and operated by Goals Soccer Centres plc is currently under consideration for planning permissionPlanning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
by Manchester City Council Planning Committee.
Proposal details
The proposal is to build twelve five-a-side footballFive-a-side football
thumb|240px|alt=Men playing football on artificial grass pitch.|Five-a-side game on astroturf pitch.Five-a-side football is a variation of association football in which each team fields five players , rather than the usual eleven on each team. Other differences from football include a smaller...
pitches, one seven-a-side football pitch, six tennis courts and a climbing tower. They will be served by a detached building with changing rooms, a cafe and a bar.
Floodlighting was originally proposed to be 8 m above the pitches, though the amendment to the pitch levels leaves the lighting 7.2 m above the playing surface. Light levels surrounding the site are to be between 5 and 10 lux
Lux
The lux is the SI unit of illuminance and luminous emittance, measuring luminous flux per unit area. It is used in photometry as a measure of the intensity, as perceived by the human eye, of light that hits or passes through a surface...
at 10 m from the boundary.
The pitches will be raised 0.8 m above the current ground level, with each pitch surrounded by rebound boards. Two sides of the site will be bordered by 2.4 m high acoustic fence boards and it will be surrounded by a 5 m high net. There will also be a 2 m high security fence surrounding the site and also from the park boundary wall, along the north side of the development and then turning north to the reservoir. The total area of the site will be approximately 8 acres (3.2 ha). With the facilities open from 10am until 11pm daily, community groups would be able to use the facilities for free at off-peak times, although off-peak has not yet been defined. Heaton Park was chosen as the site of the development in response to the current level of sports facility provision in North Manchester, no other location was considered. In the Demonstration of Very Special Circumstances submitted as part of the planning application, the JJB Soccer Centre near the Trafford Centre is identified as the only similar facility within a 20 minute drive.
Objections
Objections to the proposals include the visual and physical impact on the character of the park, increased noise levels in a currently quiet area, increased traffic and parking problems on local roads and the effect on wildlife in the area.The St Margarets corner of Heaton Park is home to a number of bats, the Bat Survey conducted for the Goals Soccer Centre planning application found Pipistrelle and Noctule bats but states that is merely a snapshot of two nights in the park and there may be other species present. According to the Bat Survey, which looked at trees scheduled for felling for evidence of roosting, bats may be disturbed by light levels as low as 0.06 lux. The application states elsewhere that light levels 10 m from the boundary, a distance that includes the woodland the bats roost in, will be between 5 and 10 lux.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Greater ManchesterGrade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester-See also:*Architecture of Manchester*Conservation in the United Kingdom*Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester*List of tallest buildings in Manchester*Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester-Bibliography:...
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
Further reading
- Transactions of Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society (1983) – The 1st & 2nd Earls of Wilton and the Creation of Heaton House by James Lomax MA. Vol 82 Moxon Press Ltd, Ilkley
- Heaton Hall: A Short Account of its History & Architecture. Manchester City Council Cultural Services Dept, Manchester City Art Galleries, 1984.
External links
- Heaton Park - official site
- Heaton Hall - official site from Manchester Art GalleryManchester Art GalleryManchester Art Gallery is a publicly-owned art gallery in Manchester, England. It was formerly known as Manchester City Art Gallery.The gallery was opened in 1824 and today occupies three buildings, the oldest of which - designed by Sir Charles Barry - is Grade I listed and was originally home to...
- Greater Manchester County Records Office Archives
- Save Heaton Park website